BERKELEY – Midweek non-conference games don't usually pack the punch that weekend contests do in the Pac-12 slate.

But reserve players get their chance to shine, and an important 3-2 Cal baseball victory Monday over No. 25 BYU included some key contributions from different sources.

Freshman catcher Cole Elvis, starting behind the plate with Korey Lee serving as designated hitter, homered as part of a two-run rally that tied the game 2-2 in the fifth. Another freshman, Blake Atkins, scored the go-ahead run as a pinch runner in the seventh on Quentin Selma's double.

Reliever Carson Olson, making his first appearance in nearly a month, set the Cougars down in order in the eighth to preserve Cal's one-run lead.

In the end, the Bears (24-15) walked away with a well-played victory over BYU (29-11), which had just cracked the Baseball America Top 25 poll and is a strong postseason contender.

"I think we're getting to that part of the season," Cal head coach Mike Neu said. "We know how important every game is. (BYU) is a high RPI team, ranked in the top 25. … We know this is important."

A team's RPI ranking carries weight when it comes to deciding who makes the NCAA Regionals. Cal entered Monday at No. 47 in RPI and
BYU was 32^nd. Cal can boast of two wins over the Cougars this season – they met in the season-opening Angels College Classic in February, with Cal claiming a 10-6 victory.

Elvis homered and Lee added an RBI single to pull the Bears even in the fifth after they fell behind 2-0. Rogelio Reyes earned the victory in relief and Arman Sabouri closed out the ninth for his fourth save. Andrew Vaughn finished 3-for-3 with a walk and run scored.

Elvis hasn't played a lot over the past month, but he has taken advantage of his opportunities to spell Lee during midweek contests. Three of Elvis' four homers this season have come when he's been in the lineup for such games.

"We had a lot of contributors," Neu said of Monday's win. "We want to be able to get some of our guys in the game that aren't going to play regularly on the weekend. We know how important they can be. You just don't know what's going to happen."

Sam Stoutenborough, who didn't pitch over the weekend against Oregon due to illness, made the start and held BYU  to two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He combined with Sean Sullivan, Reyes, Olson and Sabouri to limit the Cougars to seven hits.

The Bears also turned in excellent defense, including a highlight-reel play up the middle from second baseman Darren Baker and a running catch in center from Cameron Eden.  

Cal finished 4-1 on its five-game homestand and next travels to Utah for a three-game Pac-12 series beginning Friday night.